


Beautiful Nightmare

by violettee



Category: Prodigal Son (TV 2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, BDSM, Drug Use, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Heartbreak, Hurt, Inspired by Prodigal Son (TV 2019), Murder, New York City, Night Terrors, Nightmares, Non-Canon Relationship, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV First Person, Reader-Insert, Romance, Rough Sex, Series, Shameless Smut, Slow Romance, Smut, Triggers, Unreliable Narrator, Violence, so many tags but I have this planned out i swear
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2020-02-10
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:00:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22338910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/violettee/pseuds/violettee
Summary: When you meet Malcolm Bright due to a coincidental tragedy, you find your life turning down a road you never expected. Unsure of whether or not the life of a damaged profiler is something you can handle, you try your best to keep him at arms length despite your serious infatuation with him. All the while, a nightmare has been plaguing you for months with no sign of stopping, and you just can't figure out what it means.
Relationships: Eve Blanchard/Malcolm Bright, Malcolm Bright/Original Female Character(s), Malcolm Bright/Reader, Malcolm Bright/You, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added
Comments: 5
Kudos: 63





	1. The Nightmare

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> First of all, thank you for checking this out! I've never written a fic for Prodigal Son before, and it's been almost a year since I've written a reader insert at all- but I hope my idea for this series doesn't disappoint because I'm so excited to have been inspired again!  
> This first chapter is very short because I'm just testing the waters to see if I should continue it at all, so please let me know if it's something you'd like to keep reading!
> 
> xo Violette  
> [violettees.tumblr.com](http://violettees.tumblr.com/)

I was running down an endless hallway toward what felt like something terrifyingly beautiful. Surrounded by nothing but white walls and the pounding of my bare feet against the cold tile beneath my frame, I ran faster. Black mascara stained tears streamed down my cheeks, leaving a trail behind me like an Alice in Wonderland delight. A breathless whisper of a shout was all I could muster, panic consuming me like a snake devouring its prey. My hair whipped around my face, and though I was indoors, it felt as though I were running through all of the elements at once.

Was I being chased? Was I running towards something? The fluorescent lights above blinded me until I saw a figure standing at the end of the tunnel my vision had reduced to. I felt my heart jump, a wave of relief washing over me like cold water on a hot day. I had to get to the figure if I was going to make it. I had to find safety in this figure if I was going to survive whatever this horrible fate was. 

Before I could take my next exhausted breath, a hand grabbed my shoulder with a grip as sharp as knives from behind me, yanking me backwards and pulling me back down the hallway, the blinding white walls turning deep shades of red as the figure of hope faded further and further away into the depths the hazy scene before me. I screamed, desperate to reach whoever it was; desperate to be saved from the paralyzing fear and agonizing pain I was forced to endure. Feeling a hand around my throat, digging into my jugular with the sharp end of a serrated blade, I screamed again. There was no breath to be had anymore. I was drowning in my own blood and enveloped in my own pain as I tried to break free with no hope for survival.

“No!” I cried, my throat painfully hoarse as I jolted upright in bed, clutching my throat with shaking hands. 

Drenched in sweat, I drew a jagged breath, trying to compose myself. Blinking wildly, my vision began to clear, my {e/c} eyes settling on everything around me. Nothing had changed. All was the same as it had been when I fell asleep last night. The grey winter sky had grown lighter just outside of my curtainless window. The hustle and bustle of New York City was as lively as ever. 

There was no endless hallway. There was no figure. There was no predator. I was not prey. 

It was the dream again. Every time it made an appearance, it felt as though it were the first time. I didn’t understand what it meant when it first intruded my mind just a couple of months ago, but as time went by, it happened more and more often. It seemed to be the only dream I had anymore, and I wasn’t sure how to get rid of it. While I considered seeing a doctor or a therapist, I didn’t want to feel like I had lost my mind. Much to my detriment, I probably already had. 

With a deep sigh, I dragged my hand down my face, looking around at my small studio apartment as I reminded myself over and over again that I was safe in bed, and no one was going to hurt me. 

“Just because I am scared, does not mean I am in danger,” I repeated to myself. 

With one swoop of my black sheets, I made my way to the bathroom to shower and get ready for the day ahead. With every step I took I felt weak, as though I  _ had _ been running all that time. Looking at myself in the mirror, I couldn’t help but muster a laugh at the terrified expression that had settled in on my features. Was I really going crazy? It was only a nightmare.. a recurring one, sure, but a nightmare nonetheless. 

It wasn’t real.

“Bye, Stella,” I called to my cat as I popped two little white pills, washing them down with a sweet creamed coffee on my way out of the door. 

A sedative with coffee became my usual breakfast once the nightmares began, courtesy of my best friend who “needed them once, but not since I’ve been getting fucked on the regular,” as she put it. 

First, it was to take away some of the edge that I was left with after the dream; the jumpiness in the street and constant lingering fear that seemed to plague me. As time went by, the nightmare only came more frequently. Not knowing whether or not I would have it again kept me in a constant state of fright, especially as nighttime neared at the end of each day. Sleeping had once been my escape from the world. Now, it scared me to close my eyes. I couldn’t shake the panic after a day’s time anymore. I needed the pills to survive. 

Today was a special occasion, though. Today required two of these little babies in order to keep myself together. It was the first day of my new job as an assistant to a major modeling agency’s CEO. While I’d heard rumors of her rendezvous and her hazing antics, especially on new hires, if there was one thing I didn’t want to do, it was screw up such a great opportunity.

I tried to calm myself down as I waited for the pills to kick in, noticing a slight trembling still coursing through my body with every step I took out into the world. Letting my eyes wander, I began to drink in my surroundings as I started this new chapter in my life. New York City had always been my dream destination. Coming from California, people often wondered why I ever wanted to leave the sunshine and surf for the concrete jungle. It wasn’t that I didn’t enjoy my hometown, or vitamin D, but I knew there was so much more than that out in the world. Besides, I could take supplements and Breakfast at Tiffany’s made the city look so interesting. With another sharp inhale of cool air, I tried my best to calm my nerves.

The walk to the building was short, something I was thankful for in the cold weather as I approached it, cupping my thermos of coffee between my hands to keep warm. I noticed a police officer standing attentively by the front door, eyeing me as I walked up the steps and through the revolving door, feeling a heaviness in the atmosphere as I kept my eyes on the floor to avoid the awkward eye contact with him. Upon entering, I noticed more NYPD officers standing around the lobby, chatting amongst themselves between the mod decor and fake plants. A girl I’d seen at the front desk before looked confused, almost worried as she eavesdropped on their conversation. 

They were all entirely too engrossed in their purpose for being there to notice me as I passed them, heading for the large elevator. I waited, wondering what they were doing at such a place, especially so early in the morning as I stepped through the sliding doors. With a manicured finger I pressed the floor number where I was required, then habitually the “close doors” button at the bottom. Staring absentmindedly into the open before me, the doors began to slide shut. Right before they closed completely, I heard a “Hey! You can’t go up there!” coming from one of the officers. 

It was too late. 

My brow furrowed as I fixed my {h/c} hair a bit in the large mirror on the wall. Why not? What had happened? They didn’t seem to be scrambling around frantic with whatever they were investigating. It couldn’t have been _that_ bad. 

The pills were starting to kick in, I could already tell. 

With an exhale and a soft smile, I watched the number change from one to floor twenty-one. Sure, my new boss seemed like a disaster and an utter nightmare, even compared to my own, but I was going to make the best of it. I was going to learn something, and work my way up. Maybe even be CEO myself someday. Feeling good now, I stood up taller, awaiting the doors to open once I heard the familiar “ding.” 

The elevator did as promised, and there was another group of nicely dressed officers standing around, along with a short woman in a white coat who seemed to be a medical examiner. My heart picked up again as I instinctively stepped inside. Once my heels clacked on the marble flooring, their heads snapped in my direction. 

“What are you doing here?” A woman with curly black hair asked me. “You can’t be here.” 

I was confused, which turned into speechlessness as my eyes drifted around the room, falling on each one of them before falling on the scene they were surrounding. 

I gasped then, my coffee slipping from my hand and crashing onto the floor as I suddenly found myself utterly sick.


	2. Mondays, Am I Right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for the kudos on the last chapter. I'm so happy so many of you enjoyed it enough! Sorry for the long wait, but I wanted to write out a few more short chapters before I began posting again. Anyway, this is all just for fun and completely not meant to be 100% canon. Like most people, it's just something that was in my head for a while (all the good, bad and ugly lol)   
> Thanks for reading! <3

There was a light humming in my ears and all I could see before me was a vast bright white canvas ready to be painted with the colors of the world. I gasped for air in a confused panic, immediately trying to lift myself from the uncomfortable surface I was laying on. All too quickly, I noticed my body felt like jelly as I collapsed back down onto the cold, metallic surface. 

“Hey, are you okay?” I heard a comforting voice ask from what felt like miles away. “She’s awake,” they spoke again, a little louder this time as they called out to an unknown source. 

The humming became more faint as my vision returned; blurry, but allowing me to see what was happening around me nonetheless. 

“Here’s some water,” the voice said again as I quickly tried to remember what brought me to this point. A small styrofoam cup was being pushed into my clammy hand as they sat me up slowly. Becoming more aware by the second, I grasped the cup with trembling fingers as it all came flooding back to mind. My head immediately whipped around to search for the scene I’d laid eyes on before I felt a tender hand on my cheek, forcing me to face forward again. 

“You don’t wanna do that,” he said, my hearing suddenly crystal clear, everything coming into focus all at once. 

There was a small smile on his lips, as though he were looking out for a small child who didn’t know any better. My eyelids fluttered as I drank him in instead. I’d noticed he was handsome before I went down, but up-close was another story entirely. 

His features were striking, his eyes especially; like crushed pools of cerulean crystals that seemed to pull your every thought from your mind, holding almost tinges of the faintest green depending on the light. There weren’t words I could think of as I stared back at him, his hand dropping to his side again. For a split second I wished he’d kept it there. I didn’t know people who weren’t some kind of nip-and-tuck creation could look like him.

“Drink,” he offered kindly with a nod, lifting his brows as his eyes flashed from the cup in my hand and back to my own.

Without resistance, I brought the cup to my lips, the drink of water almost as refreshing as he was. I shook my head a bit. 

“I don’t understand what happened..” I mumbled. “It’s my first day and my boss is..” 

I trailed off, immediately gagging as I vividly recalled what I’d seen this time. The woman I was supposed to assist had been brutally murdered. Her already porcelain-like skin was peppered in blotches of purple and blue, her deep crimson blood pooled around her frail body. She had to have been there a while, given her pale complexion had a dull, lifeless color. Her eyes were wide open, lending an already eerie sensation to the tragedy. But as my eyes traveled just a bit lower, I'd noticed the real wound. She'd been completely cut in half, straight across her torso, as though someone were working on some kind of magic act that went a little too far. I gagged again, and he grabbed a small trash can that was already sitting beside me and graciously held it as I wretched my insides out. Thank goodness I hadn’t eaten breakfast. 

“Whew! Mondays, am I right?” The medical examiner stopped at the doorway to the small room they had moved me to, looking at the man who was avoiding watching my unflattering action. 

There was a pitying smile on her lips and her nose scrunched under her black rimmed glasses as I looked back up at her through watery eyes. 

“First time?" She asked me then. "It gets better, trust me. Eventually these bodies just start looking like dolls to play Clue with.” 

“It would get better, _if_ she were meant to be here,” the man said as I hung my head again, nothing left to give from my purging. 

“Bright, maybe you should get her a taxi home. I think she’s officially out of a job,” the woman with curly hair from before stated as she stopped by the door in passing. 

“I’m just down the street.. I walked,” I spoke up weakly. 

Maybe two pills weren’t enough when I’d just seen a woman battered and axed in half across her torso. I was embarrassed at my reaction, but I hoped they understood. The man, who I assumed was ‘Bright,’ leaned over to help me back on my feet. Once I was grounded, he handed me my empty thermos, which now had a lovely crack right down the side. My lips formed a pout as I examined it. After a beat of feeling sorry for my favorite cup, I spoke again. 

“I’m sorry I….” My hand motioned in the direction of the trash can and the table I’d been laid out on. 

His smile was slightly intoxicating as he gave a soft shake of his head. 

“Don’t mention it. But, I do have a few questions.”

I looked down, noticing I was still swaying. I caught myself on his shoulder and steadied myself again quickly, a red hue shooting up my neck and seeping into my cheeks. My hand found its way back to my side quickly, and I tried to pretend that my slip up was completely normal, refusing to look him in the eye and face my awkwardness. Confusion was written all over my features not too long afterwards once I thought about what he’d said. What could he possibly have to ask me? 

Someone else walked through the door then, a tall man with a darker complexion. He carried himself differently from the others, as though he ran the place and everyone in it, but in a less domineering and in a more compassionate way. And he very well might have by the way he commanded respect. 

“Detective Arroyo,” the new man introduced himself. “Feeling any better?”

“A little. I’m still a bit woozy,” I confessed, though I’m sure they could tell. 

“Please, sit down,” the detective said, and I took a seat once more slowly, my eyes darting between them both. 

“How long have you known Ms. Greyson, Miss {y/n}?” He asked. 

“Not long… I’ve been interviewing for this position for a few weeks, but I’d only met her a few days ago when I was hired.” 

“What drove you to this position?” Bright immediately followed up. “I’ve heard a few things about this woman before.. She wasn’t exactly known for her cheery disposition and kind gestures.”

My fingers reached for the necklace around my neck, fidgeting with the tiny pendant nervously. They already pegged me as a suspect, hadn’t they? My heart began to beat harder as I swallowed hard. I wasn’t myself lately, but I was no murderer. Wasn’t my fainting enough to prove that? I took drama in high school, but that was no act. Trying to keep my cool, I inhaled, my breath shaky as I wondered where those pills I took earlier ran off to. I guessed the bottom of the trash can. 

“I wasn’t exactly thrilled to be her assistant, sure. But the opportunity was huge. I was hoping I could finally find footing in this industry. I mean, she’d be… Would’ve been,” I corrected myself, “the one person who could’ve helped me advance. Her name alone turns heads.”

Bright’s eyes seemed to stare through me, burning every inch of where his line of sight touched. Unable to handle the intensity of his gaze, I looked down at the floor, my nude colored heel bouncing stealthily against the carpet. 

“Well, this news is certainly going to turn a few heads..” Detective Arroyo sighed. 

There was a silence then, both of them looking me over as though I were suddenly public enemy number one. 

My hands began to tremble. If any more time passed, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do next. A full blown anxious sensation began to settle into my stomach as I shifted in my seat, the room growing hotter around me. It felt as though a thick fog were seeping into my lungs with each breath I took, my head dizzying quickly. I was about to head for the hills when-

“I don’t think we need any further questioning,” Bright stated.

The detective looked over at him, a conversation between their eyes happening right before me. I watched as the bright blue soul stealers that captivated me when I came-to closed and opened in a reassuring gesture to his partner. After a moment and another quick sigh, Detective Arroyo nodded and looked back to me. Stepping closer, he reached into his jacket pocket and revealed a small offwhite card, handing it over to me.

“If you need anything, or if anything pertaining to this case comes to mind, please give me a call.”

I gingerly took the card, staring down at it as I felt the cotton finishing between my fingers. “ _ Detective Gil Arroyo”  _ I repeated in my head, my cherry lips mouthing the words ever so slightly. 

Forcing an unsure grin, I tucked it into the pocket of my own jacket. The two exchanged another glance as Gil made his exit and returned to the real task at hand. 

“Thank you,” I breathed. 

“I can escort you out,” Bright offered, motioning in the direction of the door before heading towards it. 

Following closely behind him, the anxious feeling began to dissipate once the microscope had lifted from me. I couldn’t believe the day that I’d expected to finally change my life had possibly been one of the roughest starts I’d had in a while, and it was only 9 AM. They did say change and growth was supposed to be uncomfortable, but I’m not sure they meant like this. A shudder turned into a chill as the thought of what the rest of the day was going to bring pushed its way into the forefront of my mind. 

Bright walked in front of me without reservation and I held my hand up to avert my eyes from the scene, though in my poor judgement call to peek, I noticed the body had been covered with a white sheet. It took every ounce of strength in me not to take a better glance, not to think about what happened. At least this time I was expecting it enough that I only felt slightly faint as I stepped around the small crowd of officers. 

“Feel better!” The M.E. called out to me happily as the elevator doors closed.

Once we reached the sidewalk, I felt stranger than before. There was an emptiness within me that I couldn’t place my finger on. Looking at Bright in the light outside piqued another strange sensation, almost as though I’d seen him somewhere else before. Something about him was vaguely familiar, but as I recounted my memories I figured I must’ve been thinking of someone else. 

“Are you sure you’re alright to walk home?” He inquired, concern written on his expression. 

His eyes drifted to my hands clutching my thermos nervously and back to my face. It seemed like everything I did, he was studying. 

“I’m not even ten minutes away. You could probably stand here and see me walk into my building,” I joked weakly. 

It was clear that I needed to go back to bed and wake up all over again. My recurring nightmare was frightening, but at least I could pretend that the scenario that had just taken place was only a new one. All I wanted to do was curl up and recover from the 8 o’clock hour. Exhaustion didn’t begin to describe how I felt. I’d made a fool of myself enough for one day, but then he offered a grin that I wasn’t at all equipped to handle.

“I’ll stand here and make sure you get home safe then,” he joked back lightly.

I let myself smile in return. He had a way of putting me at ease despite the mortification I’d put myself through earlier. 

“Thank you for dealing with me. And I’m so sorry again.. I’m not usually the type who needs to be babysat.” 

“All in a day's work,” he said positively, genuinely enforcing the fact that he didn’t seem to mind at all.

With no further energy to respond, I bowed out and forced myself to leave, though I felt entirely too drawn to him. The steps I took were heavy, plaguing my feet as though I had lead in my shoes. My mind was racing and yet still all at once as I replayed the last hour in my head. Then, my feet stopped dead in their tracks, and my body turned back to face him. It was like I had no control over my own actions as I noticed he was still watching me walk away. There was a slight hesitation before I spoke again. 

“I never caught your name,” I slurred. 

“It’s Malcolm. Malcolm Bright.”

They already knew my name, I supposed from some kind of record they’d already pulled at the scene of the crime, but I felt compelled to say it anyway. Maybe the pills  _ were _ working their magic. 

“I’m {y/n},” I said simply, uncaring if I’d made the situation more awkward than it should’ve been before I turned back around and headed home again without waiting for his response. 

My eyes were heavy and my legs were losing feeling. Any other time, I might’ve cared that this was happening. In the moment however, all I wanted to do was find my bed. I took a few more weightless steps, the space around me feeling just as airy. My head swayed to one side, my body following suit shortly after as I continued down the sidewalk, everything going just a bit fuzzier on me by the second. With a deep breath, I suddenly decided I just needed to close my eyes for a moment before continuing the rest of the walk home…… 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can find me on [violettees.tumblr.com](http://violettees.tumblr.com/) for more Prodigal Son posts and we can be friends <3

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks again for reading!! <3


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